


Certain Customs

by writteninweakness



Category: Amnesia (Game & Anime)
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Pre-Relationship, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2019-11-07
Packaged: 2021-01-25 03:40:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21349639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writteninweakness/pseuds/writteninweakness
Summary: Kent and the heroine get married on "accident" while on a work retreat.
Relationships: Heroine/Kent (Amnesia)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Certain Customs

**Author's Note:**

> Um. I wanted to write an accidental marriage fic. I used an idea similar to one I've used before, though I suspect my previous use was better, but this was kind of amusing and I'm stressed, so I wrote silly fic. *shrugs*

* * *

“This is not only absurd, it cannot possibly be legal or binding,” Kent said, looking down at the plant in his hand. He’d been curious about it and wanted to do some testing back home, and since there were no instructions baring such a thing, he’d collected a sample. That was true.

What could not be true, no matter how much the indigenous population kept trying to insist on it, was that in doing so he had chosen to marry the woman next to him doing the same thing. He imagined her reasons for picking the plant were much different, she likely though it pretty, whereas he felt it worth researching, but in either case, such a random act was no basis for marriage.

Even if she was not a stranger to him—not completely, at least, she was a coworker, after all, though he hadn’t been employed at Meido No Hitsuji for long nor did he intend to be, but adding to his savings before going abroad to London seemed sensible. Still, that did not change anything about their present circumstances.

“Kent’s right. How could we even have known that was a custom here?” Kokoa asked, throwing a somewhat desperate look toward the manager of the cafe, who had made all of the arrangements for this employee bonding excursion. Kent had seen no reason to object to accompanying the others, though he now felt he should have.

“Ignorance is no excuse. You are married.”

Kent put his other hand to his head. “And if one of us had already been married? Or perhaps if it was not myself and Kokoa who did this but rather Shin and Toma—”

“Oh, hell, no. No one would marry him,” Shin said, giving his step-brother a shove of disgust.

“You’re one to talk, little brother,” Toma said, shaking his head. “Not that I would have thought it would be Kent. Ikki, yeah, but Kent?”

Ikkyu frowned. “Why would it be more likely to be me?”

Shin snorted. “Because you flirt with everything that moves.”

“Exaggeration. I do not flirt with plants, which is more than I can say for Ken.”

Kent eyed the plant and gave some consideration to throwing it at Ikkyu’s head for that comment and the obnoxious grin on his face. This was not amusing in the slightest.

“Getting married is usually so romantic,” Mine said, her hand at her mouth. “Not like this, but then it _is_ Kent.”

He chose to ignore that. She was an idiot, and romance had no bearing on this occasion. He looked at Waka. Judging from the impassive expression on his face, he had, in fact, known this was a possibility. He lacked any sign of surprise that it had as well as any amusement. Kent did not believe he would be of any assistance in refuting the natives’ claims.

“Very well. Assuming, for a moment, this ceremony is anything close to binding,” Kent began, “what about an annulment? This marriage should not have happened.”

“Annulment? What is that?”

“Fine. A divorce.”

The self-proclaimed leader of the group shook his head. “There is no such thing in our land. Our people believe in marriage for all lives. You are bound for eternity.”

Kent shook his head. “We’re not citizens of your land.”

“Does not matter. You are married for life. Now we must feast.”

* * *

“Kent?”

He sighed, and she almost regretted asking. Kokoa was afraid he was taking this worse than she was, and she wasn’t doing all that well with it herself. She barely knew Kent. Mine had been quick to sigh over how hot Ikki’s friend was, but she’d also been soundly rejected by him not long after that, and from his interactions with everyone else after that, it did seem like Kent had no interest in dating anyone. Ever.

Now he was married to her, and they kept saying it couldn’t be undone.

“I’m sorry.”

He looked back at her with a frown. “Why are you apologizing? I also selected a plant. If anyone should apologize, it is Waka for failing to warn any of us. I do not understand why he would not.”

She considered that a little. “Does anyone ever know what Waka’s really thinking? I mean, he’s good at non-verbal communication, we all run to do as he says with just a look, but as for what’s in his head… I don’t think anyone knows. I think we’re also too afraid to know.”

“That is very likely true of most.”

She tilted her head. “You’d actually like to know, wouldn’t you? You’re braver than the rest of us.”

“Highly irritated and completely failing to understand the value of keeping anyone in such ignorance,” Kent corrected. “And if he truly is as pleased as those small smiles during this ‘feast’ seemed to say, then I would very much like to know why.”

She had to admit, she did, too. Waka didn’t seem much like a practical joker, and if there was someone who would have ended up getting caught in one, she would have thought it someone else. Poor Sawa, maybe, since she was always messing up orders, or Ikki because of his fan club, or even Toma, maybe.

“Me, too. It’s not that I think you’re a bad person, but I’m not sure anyone else would have picked us as a couple. We’re… pretty different. You’re tall. I’m short. You’re smart. I’m not. You love math. I’m terrible at it. You’re logical. I’m more emotional. You make great desserts. My cake falls apart when I go to frost it. You look scary when you frown. I couldn’t scare anyone if I had a gun in my hand. You always have insightful things to say even when you’re insulting someone, and I hardly ever know what to say. You’re so precise with the recipes and I do things to taste. I never know when my headband is off-centered, but you always do and your uniform is never out of place even though you’re in the kitchen. Your mock duels with Ikki show you could be a good fighter, and I think Waka has been impressed before and he’s a rumored assassin whereas I am a bit of a klutz who trips over nothing on the floor and breaks glasses for no reason.”

“Can you actually say it is no reason when you are trying not to react to Ikkyu’s improper behavior?”

She laughed, and Kent looked at her. Maybe that wasn’t that funny, but the way he said it somehow made her want to smile. Mine wasn’t wrong about Kent being cute. He was. When he was serious about something but not frowning, he was adorable. That smirk of his was killer. And his real smile, the one where he was genuinely happy, that was like a kick to the gut. Kent even looked good looking over his shoulder, which she did get to see kind of often at work.

Still, it was the first time she’d really spoken to him like this.

“Why are you so amused? I confess I don’t see the humor in those actions of his.”

“That’s because you’re a gentleman,” she said, and Kent just stared at her like she was crazy, which made her laugh again. “Sorry. Though you are. When you’re not rejecting someone by calling them an idiot, you’re actually very responsible and don’t cross lines into inappropriate territory like some guys do. That is actually why some people think you are a robot or… well, they say a lot of stuff, but I don’t think any of it’s true. You’re a good friend to Ikki, and I think they just don’t know you. If they did, they’d like you.”

“I am not generally considered likable.”

She started to say she didn’t know why, but she did. Still, she found herself repeating her words from before, “They don’t know you.”

“Neither do you.”

“Maybe not, but I want to,” she admitted, a bit surprised by her honesty and how bold she’d suddenly gotten. She flushed. “And not just because we’re married now.”

He looked away. “Yes, well, that… does complicate matters.”

“I’m sure we’ll figure it out. Didn’t Ikki say your mom is a lawyer? So she’ll know if this is really binding or not.”

“Yes. And I did not actually believe she had a sense of humor, but she has not stopped laughing since I called her to ask about it.”

“You got reception out here?”

“I was planning on going to London so I switched to a provider that covers international zones as well as Japan if not better than back in Tokyo.” He took his glasses off and wiped them on his shirt. “I sincerely hope she is merely enjoying herself at my expense.”

“What?”

“She claims the ceremony is quite binding and also that we are bound by their laws and only a special diplomatic intervention can possibly get us a chance at a hearing for a divorce.”

Kokoa stared at him. Would his mom actually joke about that?

“I do believe she is teasing. I… suppose I must hope she is.”

Kokoa swallowed. “Um… is it that terrible being married to me?”

Kent frowned. “I… I suppose I would have asked you that, actually. Don’t you feel… I mean… you are well-liked by your coworkers and customers. You have many friends. I… do not.”

“That doesn’t make you a bad person.”

“I do not get along with many people,” he said. “And… I fail to see why you would not feel… some measure of doubt if not outright… revulsion at being married to me.”

She shook her head. Strangely, she didn’t. “Um… would you think maybe… since we are married… we should try and get to know each other a bit better?”

“You mean… you believe because we are now possibly married that we should… date?”

“Is that so bad? I think we could try it. Like… if we had an arranged marriage, we’d do it, right? Try and find a way to live with each other? So… we should do that now, right?”

He nodded, and she let out a breath in relief. “Yes, that does seem wise.”

She smiled at him, tempted to take his hand. “Okay. Well, I guess if we are married… do you want to do the cooking? I think you’re better at it than I am.”

He stared at her for a moment and then laughed. “That remains to be seen. Perhaps some testing is required to evaluate the veracity of that statement.”

She took a minute to figure out what he said and then smiled. “Okay. So on our first ‘date,’ I will cook for you.”

“Very well.”

* * *

Ikki made his way past the rest of the revelers. Shin was hiding somewhere from the natives, and Toma was actually in the thick of them, being a bit too polite, but maybe he liked the attention. Ikki didn’t know. He was a bit relieved he hadn’t had a fan club moment here with the native ladies. If they were immune, he might just come back, though. He liked the idea of dating someone who didn’t react to his eyes, and maybe there was something in the water here or their diet that made that possible.

Ken would like to research that, wouldn’t he? He’d already be doing it if he wasn’t very distracted by his sudden marriage.

Ikki reached Waka at the edge of the village. “I know you knew about this little custom of theirs.”

Waka just looked at him. Ikki considered running, but he wasn’t going to back down. Not now.

“Since you did, I do have to wonder why you wouldn’t warn any of us.” Ikki studied him. “It really isn’t like you.”

“Isn’t it? I do value efficiency.”

Ikki frowned. Efficiency? “What exactly is efficient about random couples pairing up? I mean, Ken has a point. What if Shin and Toma picked it up those plants? Or me and Sawa? You and Mine?”

Waka shook his head. “I would not have done it, since I was aware of the consequences. Nor would I have allowed anyone at random to make such a choice.”

“So you _were _playing matchmaker.”

Waka adjusted his glasses. “I had no desire to watch those two spend the next six months in denial, nor did I care to witness yet another of their ‘debates’ over logic versus emotions.”

Ikki nodded, cringing with the memory. That had been rather spectacular, and he was surprised the cafe was still standing after it. Really, Ken had been way too calm about the accidental marriage considering who he was tied to.

Or not.

Maybe Ken wanted to be paired up with Kokoa.

“Damn, Waka. You’re good.”

Waka only smiled.


End file.
